Fractional distillation of oily substances.



H. KOPPBRS.

FRACTIONAL DBTILLATION OF OILY SUBSTANCES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8 1913.

Patented June 2, 191% WWW:

iw' W. m 9147 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HEINRICH KOPPERS, OF ESSEN-ON-TI-LE-RUHR. GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO H. KOPLPERS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION.

FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION OF OILY SUBSTANCES.

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is aspecification.

This invention relates to fractional distillat-ion of oily media and more particularly to the separation of benzol and its homologues from mixtures containing these substances such as light oil and the like, steam being used as the heating agent.

The invention consists in regulating the supply of heat to the distilling apparatus by regulating the amount of condensation liquid drawn 01f from the heating device, that is to say, by allowing more condensate to run 01? when a reater heat is required, and throttling the discharge of the condensate when lessheat is required. This regulation is preferably made automatic, a device such as a piston, diaphragm or the like, beingfor example actuated bythe steam pressure in the distilling drum, so as to control the discharge valve for the condensate, in such manner that the said discharge valve is opened when the pressure falls; and vice versa.

A suitable form of apparatus for carrying the invention into effect is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through one end of said apparatus, and Fig. 2 an end view partly broken away thereof.

In the lower part of the distilling drum a there is mounted a heating coil 6, to which steam is admitted by the pipe 0. The condensate which collects in the heating coil can be retained therein by the valve ai. C0111 municating with the vapor space of the drum a there is a pipe 6, which admits vapor to the casing f containing a diaphragm g. This diaphragm g is connected by a pair of rods h and I to the cone 2' of the valve (l in such manner that when the diaphragm descends the valve is opened, and when it rises the valve is closed. When suflicient.

pressure is raised in the distilling druin by Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8. 1913.

is allowed to escape from the drum 1:, so

the vapor therein, the valve cone 2' is pressed against its seat and the discharge of con- \Vhen, however, the

drum, a procondensation densate is stopped. pressure drops in the distillin portional quantity of water of Patented June 2, 1914. Serial 0. 777,832.

that fresh steam is able to enter and the heating area is increased.

In distilling benzol and its homologues from mixtures such as light oil, generally in an impure state mixed with washing oil, exact adjustment of the amount of heat supplied is very essential to regular working. The distillation commences at approximately 80 (3., when benzol is separated, and is finished at approximately 180 C. after production of the solvent naphtha. Thus a constantly increasing amount of heat is required for heating, inasmuch as in the course of the process the difference of temperature between the contents of the drum and the column is approximately trebled. The accurate control of the supply of heat is rendered specially diflicult, when the distilling apparatus is installed in proximity to a mine, as is frequently the case, the steam for heating the apparatus being here supplied by boilers that also furnish steam for the mining machinery. The steam pressure of such plants is subjected to considerable variations due to the changing of shifts. The regulation of the admission of heat in my invention is not efi'ected by simply throttling the steam, but by controlling the discharge of the water of condensation. The control of this discharge of water is much more easily eifected than regulation by direct throttling of the steam, and is accomplished practically without loss of heating energy. If the discharge valve for the water of condensation is controlled by a piston or diaphragm, thesupply of heat is regulated automatically, the power for operating the regulating device being provided by the compounds with rising boiling points that the temperature does not afford an index of the condit-ions prevailing within the drum. For this reason the quantity oi the discharged condensate also fails as an index, in fact its increase or decrease merely indicates irregularity in the supply of heat to the drum. On the other hand increase or decrease in the rate of distillation in the distilling chamber is immediately accompanied by The degree of sensitiveness of the regulating device should be such that the pres sure practically maintained within the apparatus does not difit'er from the above pressure by more than one or two hundredths of an atmosphere. -By giving the piston or diaphragm'a suitable cross section the desired degree of sensitiveness can be easily. obtained. 7

Another condition which must obtain, owing to the peculiar operation of such distilh'ng drums, is met in the most eifective manner by the new method of operation. At the commencement of the distillation;

' after heating up, only a part of the available heating surface of coil 6 should be used. The discharge of the water of condensation can then be so regulated that part of coil 6 is filled with such water of condensation and thus rendered inaccessible to steam. The

necessary control for this purpose is preferably effected by hand, the automatic regulating device not becoming operative until after completion of the first stage of work.

I claim a 1. Process of fractional distillation of oily substances which consists in subjecting the same to the heating action of steam admitted into a heating body that is in contwo subscribing witnesses.

tact with said substances thereby converting 30 upon a decrease of the pressure of said vapors, said decrease of pressure causing an outflow of the water of condensation formed by the steam within said body, whereby a quantity of fresh steam is admitted into said body and i the heating area thereof is increased.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of HEINRICH KoPPERs.

Witnesses HENRY HAsPEn, WOLDEMAR HAUPT.

Process of fractional distillation of oily 

